Click on the image to identify individual
features,
or click here to view a labelled image.

This image shows the stratified squamous epithelium that comprises the epidermis,
overlying the fibrous connective tissue that comprises the dermis.

The epidermis consists primarily of keratinocytes,
the cells which accumulate keratin as they mature and migrate toward
the surface, eventually becoming the tough, dead outer layer (stratum
corneum) of the skin.

Epidermis also includes scattered cells of other types,
melanocytes, Langerhans
cells, and Merkel cells. One of
these other cells, probably a melanocyte, is clearly visible to the right
of the upper center in this image.

The very dark purple (nearly black) spots are cell nuclei.
In this location, most of the nuclei belong to fibroblasts. Some may also
belong to macrophages, mast
cells, or capillary endothelial cells. The group of odd-shaped
nuclei near the lower right corner belong to neutrophils
within a small venule.